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good evening speaker the president of the united states. [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause]

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[applause] >> thank you very much. members of congress, i have the highest privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you, the, the president of the united states. [applause] [applause]

[applause] [applause] >> thank you very much. mr. speaker, mr. vice president, members of congress, the first lady of the united states. [applause] [applause] and citizens of america, tonight, tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of black history month we are really reminded of our nation's path toward civil rights in the work that still remains to be

done. [applause] [applause] recent threats targeting jewish community centers and vandalism of jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in kansas city remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are country who stands united in condemning hate and evil, and all of its very ugly forms. [applause]

each american generation passes the torture of truth, liberty and justice an unbroken chain, all of the way down to the present. that torch is now in our hands. we will use it to light up the world. i'm here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength. it is a message deeply delivered from my heart. a new chapter -- [applause] of american greatness is now beginning. a new national pride is sweeping across our nation and a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams freely within our grasp. what what we are witnessing today is the renewal of the american spirits.

our allies will find that america is once again ready to lead. [applause] all of the nations of the world, friends or foe, we'll find that america is strong, america is proud, and america is free. in free. in nine years, the united states will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founders. 250 years since the day we declare our independence. it will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world. but what will america look like as we reach our 250th year? what kind of country will we leave for our children?

i will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future. for too long long we have watched our middle-class shrink as we have exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries. we financed and built one global project after another but ignore the faith of our children like the undersides of art chicago, baltimore, detroit at so many so many other places throughout our lands we have defended the borders of other nations while leaving our own borders wide open for anyone to cross and for trucks to pour in at a now unprecedented rate. we have spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas where our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled. then, in 2016 the earth shifted beneath our feet.

the rebellion started as a quiet protest spoken by families of all colors and creeds. families who just wanted to a fair shot for their children and a fair hearing for their concerns. but then, the quiet voices became a loud course is thousands of citizens now spoke up together from city small and large all across our country. finally, the course course became an earthquake and the people turned out by the tens of millions and they were all united by one very simple but crucial demand, that america must put its own citizens first. because only then can we truly make america great again. [applause]

[applause] dying industries will come roaring back to life, heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately name, our military will be giving the resources it's brave or you're so richly deserve. crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across a very, very beautiful land. our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately stop. our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity. above all else, we will keep our promises to the american people.

[applause] it has been a little over a month since my inauguration. i want to take this moment to update the nation on the progress i have made in keeping those promises. since my election, ford, chrysler, general motors, sprint, intel, walmart and many others have announced that they will invest billions and billions of dollars in the united states and will create tens of thousands of new american jobs. [applause] put back the stock market has

gained almost $3 trillion since the election, a record. we have saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in bringing down a fantastic new f35 jet fighter and we will be saving billions more on contracts all across our government. we placed a hiring freeze on nonmilitary and nonessential federal workers. we have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a five ban on lobbying by executive branch officials, and a lifetime ban -- [applause]

a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government. we have undertaken a historic to massively reduce job crushing regulations. creating a deregulation task force inside every government agency. [applause] we are imposing a new rule which mandates that for every one new regulation, to old regulations must be eliminated. [applause] we will stop the regulations that threaten the future and livelihood of our great coal miners. [applause]

cleared the way for the construction of the keystone and dakota access pipelines. [applause] creating tens of thousands of jobs and i have issued a new directive that new american pipelines be made with american steel. [applause] we have withdrawn the united states from the job killing transpacific partnership.

[applause] and with the help of the prime minister justin trudeau, we have formed a council with their neighbors in canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets, markets, and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams. [applause] to protect our citizens i have directed the department of justice to form a task force on reducing violent crime. i have further ordered the department of homeland security and justice along with the department of states and

national intelligence to coordinate an aggressive strategy that have spread all across our nation. [applause] we will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted. [applause] at the same time, my administration has answered the please of the american people for immigration enforcement and

border security. by finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions and billions of dollars, and and make our communities safer for everyone. [applause] we can succeed but it can happen in the lawless chaos. we must restore integrity and the rule of law at our borders. [applause] for that reason, we'll soon

begin the construction of a great, great wall along our southern border. [applause] as we speak tonight, we are removing gang members, drug dealers, and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our very innocent citizens. bad ones are going out as i speak. and as i promised to throw out the campaign. to any in congress who do not believe that we should enforce our laws, i would ask you this one question, what would you say to the american family that loses their jobs, their income or their loved on because america refused to uphold its loss and defend its borders? [applause]

protect and defend the citizens of the united states. we are taking strong measures to protect our nation from radical islamic terrorism. [applause] according to data provided by the department of justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorist and terrorism related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. we have seen the attacks at

home, we have seen the attacks in france, and belgium, and and germany and all over the world. it is not compassion but reckless to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. [applause] those given the high honor of admission to the united states should support this country and love its people and values. we cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside of america. we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremist. [applause] that is why my administration

has been working on improved vetting procedures and we will shortly take new steps to keep our nation safe and to keep those out who will do us harm. as promised, i directed the department of defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy isis. a network of lawless set savages that have lavished women, children of all face and all beliefs. we'll work with our allies including our friends and allies in the muslim world to extinguish this vile and anime from our planet. [applause]

i have also impose new sanctions on entities and individuals who support iran's ballistic missile program and reaffirm to our unbreakable alliance with the state of israel. [applause] finally, i have kept my promise to appoint a justice to the united states supreme court from my list of 20 judges who will defend our constitution. [applause] i am privileged to have eileen

scalia with us in the gallery tonight. [applause] thank you. her late, great husband antonin scalia will forever be a symbol of american justice. to fill his seat we have chosen judge it neil gore such, a man of skill and devotion to the law. he was confirmed unanimously by the court of appeals and i am asking asking the senate to swiftly approve. [applause]

tonight, as i outlined the the next steps we must take as a country we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited. 94,000,000 americans are americans are out of the labor force, or over 43 millie people are living in poverty and over 43,000,000 americans are million americans are on food stamps. more than one in five people in the prime working years are not working. we have the worst financial recovery in 65 years. in the last eight years, the past administration has put on more new debt than nearly all of the other presidents combined. we have lost more than one fourth of our manufacturing jobs since nafta was improved. we plus 60000 factory since china joined the wto in 2001.

our trade deficit in goods with world last year was nearly $800 billion. overseas we have inherited a series of tragic foreign-policy disasters. solving these in so many other pressing problems will require us to work past the differences a party. it will require us to tap into the american spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history. but to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engines of the american economy, make it easier for companies to do business in the united states. and much harder for companies to leave our country. [applause]

right now, american companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world. an economic team would look at a startex reef formed so that they can compete and thrive anywhere in with anyone. [applause] it will be a big cut of the same time we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class we must create a level playing field for american companies and our workers these products out of america they pay very high terrorists in texas, but when when foreign companies ship

their products into america we charge them nothing for almost nothing. i just met with officials and workers from the great american company, harley-davidson. in fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles made in the usa on the front lawn of the white house. [applause] they wanted me to ride one and i said no thank you. at our meeting it come i asked them how are you doing, how is business they said it's good. i asked how are you doing with other countries, mainly international sales? they told me without even complaining because they have been so mistreated for so long that they became useful. it's

very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods with such a high rate. in the case of another country they tax their motorcycles at 100 percent. they were not even asking for a change, but i am. [applause], i believe strongly in free-trade. but it also has to be fair trade. it has been a long time since we have had fair trade. the first republican president, abraham lincoln warned that the abandonment of the protective policy by the american government will produce wanton ruin among our people. lincoln was right. it is time we heeded his advice

and his words. [applause] i am not going to let's america and its great companies and workers be taken advantage of any longer. they have taken advantage of our country, no longer. [applause] i'm going to bring back millions of jobs, protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. [applause] the current, outdated system suppresses wages and puts great pressure on taxpayers. nations around the world have a merit-based immigration system.

[applause] it's a basic principle that those seeking to enter the country ought to be able to support themselves financially. yet americans not of for several straining the public resources that are poor citizens rely upon. according to the national academy of sciences our immigration system cost american taxpayers many billions of dollars per year. switching away from this current system of lower skilled immigration and to adopt instead of adopting a merit-based system, we'll have so many more benefits. it will save countless dollars, raise workers wages and help struggling families, including immigrant families and to the middle class, and they will do it quickly and they'll be very, very happy indeed. let mac i believe that real

positive immigration reform as possible, as long as we focus on the following goals. to improve jobs and wages for americans. to strengthen to strengthen our nation's security. to restore respect for our laws. if we are guided by the well-being of american citizens, then i believe republicans and democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades. [applause] another republican president, dwight d eisenhower initiated the last truly great national up a structure program, the

building of the interstate highway system. the time has come for a new program of national rebuilding. [applause] america has spent approximately 6,000,000,000,000 dollars in the middle east. all the while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. with 6,000,000,000,000 dollars we $6 trillion we could have rebuilt our country, twice. and may be, even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate. [applause] to launch our national rebuilding, i'll be asking congress to approve legislation

that produces a 1 trillion-dollar investment in infrastructure in the united states, financed through both public and private capital, creating millions of new jobs. [applause] this effort will be guided by two core principles. by american and higher american. [applause] tonight i am also calling on this congress to repeal and replace obama care. [applause]

with reforms that increase access, lower cost and at the same time provide better healthcare. [applause] mandating every american to buy government approved a health insurance was never the right solution for our country. [applause] the way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we are going to do. [applause]

to bring down premiums nationwide have increased double and triple digits. arizona went went up 116% last year alone. the governor of kentucky just said, obama care is feeling in his state, the state of kentucky. it is unsustainable and collapsing. one third third of the counties have only one in shirt and they are losing them pass. they are losing them so fast, they are leaving and many americans have no choice at all. there is no choice left. remember, when you're told you could keep your dr. and keep your plan, we now know that all of those promises have been totally broken. obama cares collapsing and we must act decisively to protect all americans.

[applause] action is not a choice, it is a necessity. so i am calling on all democrats and republicans in congress to work with us to save americans from this imploding obama care disaster. [applause] here are the principles that will guide congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all americans. first, we, we should ensure that americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for americans

currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges. [applause] second, we should help americans purchase their own coverage through the use of tax credits and expanded health savings accounts. but, it must be the plan they want not the plan forced on them by our government. [applause] thirdly, we should give our state governors the resources some flexibility they need with medicaid to make sure no one is left out. [applause]

fourth, we should implement legal reforms that protect to patients and doctors from unnecessary costs and track costs that drive up the cost of insurance and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately. [applause] finally, the time has come to give americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across state lines. [applause] this will create a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care, so

important. everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. every problem can be solved. every hurting family can find healing and hope. our citizens deserve this, and so and so much more. so why not join forces and finally get the job done, and get it done right. [applause] on this and so many other things, democrats and republicans and should get get together and unite for the good of our country and for the good of the american people. [applause]

my administration wants to work with members of both parties to make childcare is accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents that they have paid family leave. [applause] to invest in women's health and to promote clean air and clean water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure. [applause] are people require us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to and to cooperate on behalf of every

american child who deserves a much brighter future. an an incredible young woman is with us this evening we should serve as an inspiration to us all. today is rare disease day. and joining us in the gallery is a rare disease survivor. megan crowley. [applause] megan was diagnosed with pompeii disease, rare and serious illness when she was 15 months old. she was not expected to live past five.

when receiving this news, megan's dad thought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child. he founded a company to look for a cure and help develop the drug that saved megan's life. today she is 20 years old and a sophomore at notre dame. [applause] [applause] megan stories about the unbounded power of a father's love for her his daughter. but are our slow and burdensome approval process at the fda keeps too many advances like the one that saved megan's life,

from reaching those in need. if we slash the restraints, not, not just at the fda, but across our government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles just like megan. [applause] in facts, our children will grow up in a nation of miracles. but to achieve this feature we must enrich the mind and souls of every american child. education is a silver rights issue of our time. [applause] i am calling upon members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged kids, including millions of

african-american and latino children. [applause] family should be treated to choose public, private, religious, charter, or homeschool or homeschool that is right for them. [applause] joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, tanisha. she struggled in school as a child and failed third grade twice. but then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning, great learning center with the help of a tax credit and scholarship program. today, she is the first in her family to graduate, not just from high school, but from college. later this year she will get her

masters degree in social work. we want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like tanisha. [applause] [applause] but to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence. the murder rate in 2015 experienced its experienced its largest single your increase in nearly half a century. in chicago, more than 40,004,000 people were shot last year alone. the murder rate so far this year has been even higher. this is not acceptable in our society.

[applause] every american child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high paying job. [applause] to create this feature we must work with, not against the men and women of law enforcement. [applause] to build bridges of cooperation and trust, not drive the wedge of division, it's pure,

unadulterated division. we have to unify. police and sheriffs are members of our community. their friends and neighbors, their mother some fathers, sons and daughters, and they leap in and they leave behind loved ones every day worry about whether or not they will come home safe and sound. we must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement. [applause] i have ordered the department of homeland security to create an office to serve american victims. the office is called voice. victims of the immigration crime engagement. we are providing a voice to

those who have been at our media and silenced by special interest. [applause] joining us on the audience tonight are four very brave americans his government failed them, their names names are jamil schall, susan oliver, jenna oliver, and jessica davis. jamil's 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member who had just been released from prison. jamil junior was an incredible young man with unlimited potential was getting ready to go to college or he would have excelled as a great college quarterback. but, he never got the chance. his father who is in the audience tonight has become a

very good friend of mine. jamil, thank you. [applause] also with us are susan oliver and jessica davis. their husbands, deputy sheriff danny oliver and detective michael davis were slain in the line of duty in california. they were pillars of their community. these brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant immigrants with a criminal record and to prior deportations, he he should've never been in our country. sitting with susan is her daughter, jenna. jenna, i want want you to know

that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love an entire country supporting you and praying for you. [applause] [applause] to gmail, jenna, susan and jessica, i want you to know that will never stop fighting for justice. your loved ones will never be forgotten. we'll always honor their memory. [applause] finally, to keep america safe we must provide the men and women of the united states military with the tools they need to

prevent war, if they must they have to fight, and and they only have to win. [applause] am sending congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the defense sequester. [applause] it's one of the largest increases in national defense spending in american history. my budget will also increase funding for our veterans. our veterans have delivered for this nation, and now we must

deliver for them. [applause] [applause] our people are even greater and none are greater braver than those who fight for america in uniform. [applause] we are blessed to be joined tonight by karen owens, widow of u.s. navy navy special operator, senior chief william ryan new orleans.

ryan died as he lived, a lawyer and a hero, battling against terrorism in securing our nation. [applause] i just spoke to her great general matters, just now who we confirms and i quote, ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence, that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemy. ryan's legacy is etched into eternity.

thank you. [applause] [applause] . .

[applause] [applause] >> and ryan is looking down right now, and he is very happy, because i think he just broke a record. [applause]

the bible teaches us there is no greater act of love than to lay down one's life. he laid down his life for his friends and his country and our freedom and we will never forget ryan. [applause] to those allies that wonder what kind of a friend america will be, look no further than the heroes that wear our uniform. the policy calls for robust, direct and meaningful engagement with the world. it is american leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies all

across the globe. we strongly support nato, an alliance forged through the bond -- [applause] and the cold war that defeated communism. [applause] but our partners must meet their financial obligations, and now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that. in fact, i can tell you the money is pouring in. [applause] we expect our partners -- whether nato, the middle east or the pacific -- to take a direct

and meaningful road in both strategic and military operations and pay their fair share of the cost. we will respect historic institutions, but we will respect the rights of all nations, and they have to respect our rights as a nation also. [applause] the nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people, and america respects the rightright of all nations to cht their own path. my job is not to represent the world. my job is to represent the united states of america. [applause]

we know that america is better off with less conflict, not more. we must learn from the mistakes of the past. we have seen the war and the destruction that has ravaged and raged throughout the world, all across the world. the only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters in many cases is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding. [applause] america is willing to find new friends and forge new partnerships where the shared interests align. we want harmony and stability, not for a conflict. we want peace wherever peace can be found. america is friends today with

former enemies. some of our closest allies decades ago fought on the opposite side of these terrible, terrible wars. history should give us faith in the possibility for a better world. hopefully, the 250th year for america will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free. on our 100th anniversary in 1876, citizens from across our nation came to philadelphia to celebrate america's centennial. add a celebration, the country's builders and artists and inventors showed off their wonderful creations. alexander graham bell displayed his telephone for the first time. wellington unveiled the first typewriter. an early attempt was made at electric light. thomas edison showed an automatic telegraph and electric

pen. imagine the wonder is our country could know in america's 250th year. [applause] think of the marvels we could achieve if we set free the dreams of our people. keywords to the illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope. american footprints on the distant worlds are not too big of a dream. millions listed from welfare to work is not too much to expect where those are safe from school and jobs where america prosper and grow is not too much to ask. [applause]

when we have all of this we will have made america greater than before. this is our mission, but we can only get there together. we are one people with one destiny. we all bleed the same blood. we all salute the same american flag and we are all made by the same god. [applause] when we fulfill this vision and celebrate our 250 years of

glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when the new chapter of american greatness began. the time for small thinking is over. the time for trivial fights is behind us. we need to share the dreams that fill our hearts and the bravery to express the confidence to turn those hopes and those dreams into actions. from now on, america will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by fear. inspired by the future, not bound by failures in the past and guided by position the visit blinded by our doubts. i am asking all citizens to embrace this renewal of the american spirit. i'm asking all members of

congress to join me in dreaming big and bold and daring things for our country. i'm asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and believe in ourselves. believe in your future and believe once more in america. thank you. god bless you, and god bless the united states. [applause] [applause]

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